Having spent the better part of 3 nights building the new Helm's Deep set, I have come away with a real admiration for what LEGO put into designing this flagship LOTR set. Not since MMV (and perhaps Kindom's Joust) have I felt that LEGO really didn't try to cut corners with brick selection and technique. This truly was a magnificent build and shouldn't be missed by any castle enthusiast.

Update: Thanks to AK_Brickster for sharing an awesome build/review video.

AK_Brickster wrote:Also, TBB posted this great video that shows the set being built, along with detailed views of the figs. It's really awesome. Definitely worth a watch.

The LOTR sets are really beautiful and seem to have new building techniques and far better design..I want to buy them all and some in multiples but only if the price goes down... Or maybe some used ones sets later in ebay...

I don´t know if I agree on the that the LOTR sets are beutiful but the fact that "new building techniques and far better design" is used is true and a good thing, hopefuly it will be a trend that will continue in a future Castle theme also

I hope so... and in fact I absolutely sure about it... why not? its modernize lego building technique and LEGO wont have to pay anyone for this..The thing about LOTR is that there are more like dioramas, movie-scenes.. Helms Deep is not a complete castle..I like the architecture and the features and of course the minifigs but I prefer more the completes buildings.

(Well, you can buy two or three of them and make a complete castle and you would be right...)

I agree that there's something different about it. I'm very glad I got Helm's Deep, but it is both literally and figuratively, on the other side of the room from all my classic castle sets. This is my first licensed theme, and therefore the first sets I've gotten that are beholden to specific scenes from reference material. I do have to say, it is the most interesting, unorthodox build I've ever done and is filled with cool parts.

An unexpected joy is stocking it up with castle minifigs that fit with the LOTR style. In fact, I think I'm going to hit up BrickLink soon to flesh out the ranks to man the battlements. For instance, the Kingdom's Lion scale mail archer torso is a pretty good fit with the Rohirrim, as is the neck-protector helm. I just need to get more fleshie heads and hands to do it.

I just got the LEGO catalog with the new LOTR sets, and they have a picture of all the minifigs, and I can't help but wonder: where is Eowyn? Haldir, but no Eowyn? Maybe it's just my chromosomes speaking, but I'm disappointed.

eilonwy77 wrote:I just got the LEGO catalog with the new LOTR sets, and they have a picture of all the minifigs, and I can't help but wonder: where is Eowyn? Haldir, but no Eowyn? Maybe it's just my chromosomes speaking, but I'm disappointed.

I would guess they're saving her for the second wave of LotR sets (Minas Tirith, Ride of the Rohirrim, Death of the Witch-King, or something of that nature) where they can have ACTION-ÉOWYN!